Container with a pry-open pouring spout



1965 H. E. WILKINSON CONTAINER WITH A FRY-OPEN POURING SPOUT Filed Oct. 26. 1962 3,169,673 CUNTAINER WllTl-l A PRY-OPEN POURING SPOUT Harlen Edgar Wilkinson, Crystal Lake, 111., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Get. 26, 1962, Ser. No. 233,314 7 Claims. (Cl. 222-478) This invention relates to a container having a pryopen pouring spout, and more particularly to a container wherein the end seam joining the top end closure to the container body is constructed to be pried apart at a select location so as to form a pouring spout in the container at this location. i

There has long been a need in the packaging of certain types of products for a quickly and easily opened container having a pouring spout feature. in metal cans, particularly, the development of a sanitary, non-drip pouring spout can that is easily constructed, is inexpensive, and yet is quickly and easily opened to provide access to its contents would be a desirable and significant contribution to the long line of constructions in the metal can family. Such a construction has utility for such products as condensed milk, soups, beverages and other comestibles where sanitary opening and pouring features are important, as well as for many other noncomestible products Where a dripless pouring spout is a desirable feature. 7

An object of the instant invention, therefore, is to provide a sanitary, non-drip pouring spout container that is inexpensive, easily fabricated and easy to open. Another object of the present invention is to provide a metal can having a pry-open pouring spout feature in an otherwise conventional container body and end closure construction. r

Still another object of this invention is to provide a generally conventional metal can having an end seam joining its body and top end closure constructed to be pried apart at a select location to provide a sanitary, non-drip pouring spout.

States Patent To the accomplishment of these objects, there is provided a container body to which top and bottom end closures are double-seamed in the conventional manner, and wherein the. body flange which is turned into the end seam at the top end of the container is preliminarily notched or cut away in at least one select location to form only a single fold seam at this location, so that, upon prying up the end closure at this select location, the scam is forced open and the body wall contiguous to the scam in this location is forced outwardly to form a pouring spout as the opening progresses.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the inven- I tion will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially along lines 22 of FIG. 1. p

FIG; 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken substantially along lines 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a flanged container body constructed in accordance with the present invention and shown prior to the thereto.

the drawings show a metal can generally designated 10 comprising a tubular body 11, to the opposite ends of which are double-seamed a pair of end closures 12, 12 in the conventional manner, forming end seams 13, 13.

As shown in FIG. 4-, container body 11 is of conventional configuration, being formed with a lock and lap side seam l4 and flanges 15, 15 at its top and bottom ends, which flanges are subsequently double-seamed to the end closures 12, E2 to form the end seams l3, 13 as shown in'FIG. 2. The flange 15 corresponding to what will become the top end seam of container 10 is notched or cut away as at 16 to leave a void in the flange of predetermined width and extending inwardly of the flange to a point short of the juncture of the flange and the cylindrical wall of the body indicatedfby the line 15. The notched portion 16 of top body flange 15 forms a single-fold seam portion 13, as shown in FIG. 3, instead of the interlock type of joint character' izing the principal portion of the end seam 13 shown in FIG. 2. Customarily, top end closure 12 is assembled to flanged body 11 by the container manufacturer, after which the container and a corresponding bottom end closure 12 is shipped to a packer who assembles the bottom closure in his own. plant after filling.

' A conventional sealing compound 17 is lined to the flangedportion of end closures l2, 12 prior to their being double-seamed to the container body, this compound being squeezed in the double-seaming operation to fill the voids and interstices in the end seams and provide hermeticity. That portion of the compound'17 present in the corresponding seam portion 13 serves to till in part of the void created by the presence of notch 15 and thereby effectively seals end seam portion 13. Upon prying apart end seam portion 13' in the manner next to be described, however, the compound 17 in this region does not adhere to body 11 but'is retained by. and peels cleanly away with the depending skirt portion of the end closure 12. 'Wherethecompound is of a type having an ailinity" to metal surfaces, however, that portion of the wall surface of body 11 below notch 16 and which is concealed witliinthe end seam portion 13 may be preliminarily coated with some type of, re lease agentto insure ready separation of thecompound when the seam is. pried openr Container 1% may be quickly and easily opened by any type of prying instrument, an example being a crown cap type of opener 18 common in most homes (illustrated open the seam.

assembly of anend closure FIG. 5 is a partial perspective view of the container 7 ofFlG. 1, showing the openingand pouring spout fea tures. p v f As a preferred or exemplary form of the invention,

- body wall 11 immediately adjacent to end seam portion Asshown in FIG. 5, the upward prying force applied to this portion of the en'dseam causes the corresponding sidewallof body ll contiguous to the previously notched portionlti to buckle outwardly, thereby forming a pouring spout 19. The lateralwidth of spout 19 at its open in the container construction and upon the diameterof the container itself. It will be understood, therefore, that the dimensionsiof notched portion 16 may be varied so as to achieve any desired configuration of pouring spout 19.

As an aid to the consumer, an opening guide in the form of identifying indicia 20, or an inscribed mark in the formgof an arrow or otherwisaniay be provided in 13 to indicate where the container is to be opened When the contents are to be dispensed. Also, Where a venting opening is required to facilitate pouring, the top end seam 13 diametrically opposite from the pouring opening 19 may have a similar single-fold seam portion 13", which is pried open to form a venting opening 21 in the same manner as in forming pouring spout 18.

Although the preferred form of the invention has been described in connection with an all metal container incorporating metal ends and the conventional tubular body with a lock and lap side seam, it will be understood that other types of constructions are within the purview of the invention. For example, seamless and lap seam metal bodies, as well as bodies of fibre, plastic or other non-metal materials may be used instead of the more common type of metal container body hereinberore described.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the parts Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being mere 1y a preferred embodiment thereof.

1 claim:

1. A pouring spout container comprising a tubular body and an end closure seamed together in interfolded securement to form an end seam, said body having a discontinuous flange extending about the periphery of one end thereof, said end closure having continuous peripheral margin, said flange and said margin being interfolded and interlocked to form said end seam, said end seam including a double seam along the extent of said interfolded flange and a single-fold seam at the region of discontinuity in said flange said region of discontinuity being concealed within said single-fold seam and extending therein a predetermined distance about the periphery of said container, said single-fold seam being adapted to be pried open in said region of discontinuity to bend said end closure upwardly and deform the contiguous Wall of said body outwardly into pouring spout configuration.

2. The container of claim said end closure are metal.

3. The container of claim 1 wherein said end seam includes a sealing compound sealing the interstices there- 1 wherein said body and in and providing hermeticity to said container.

4. The container of claim 1 wherein said flange has at least two spaced regions of discontinuity and thus at least two single-fold seams to provide both a pouring opening and a venting opening when said single-fold seams are pried open.

5. The container of claim 1 and including an indicia on the exterior surface thereof contiguous said region of discontinuity to visually identify same for consumer convenience.

6. A pouring spout metal container comprising a tubuiar body, a top end closure double-seamed to said body to form a continuous end seam, a sealing compound in said end searn to fill interstices therein and render said container hermetic, said body at its top end having an outwardly and downwardly turned discontinuous flange interlocked with a corresponding peripheral margin of said end closure, said body flange being cut away for a predetermined distance at the region of discontinuity and concealed in said seam to provide a single fold portion in said seam at a select position, and an identifying indicia on the exterior surface of said container contiguous to said select position to facilitate visual location of said single fold portion, said single fold portion being adapted to be pried open to bend said end closure upwardly and deform the contiguous wall of said body outwardly into pouring spout configuration.

7. In a combination of a tubular container body and an end closure, an improved pry-open end seam construction comprising; a peripheral flange at the end of said body, said flange having at least one notched portion therein, a continuous peripheral margin on said end closure, said flange and said margin being interlocked and interfolded to form said end seam, said end seam including a double-folded portion coextensive with said unnotched flange portion and a single-folded portion coextensive with said notched flange portion, said singlefolded end seam portion being adapted to be pried open to bend said end closure upwardly and said body wall outwardly to form a pouring spout configuration.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Brucker July 10, 1934 2,006,963 Rollason July 2, 1935 2,323,505 Wilcox July 6, 1943 2,432,835 Taylor et al Dec. 16, 1947 2,726,008 Atkinson Dec. 6, 1955 2,751,121 Stober June 19, 1956 

1. A POURING SPOUT CONTAINER COMPRISING A TUBULAR BODY AND AN END CLOSURE SEAMED TOGETHER IN INTERFOLDED SECUREMENT TO FORM AN END SEAM, SAID BODY HAVING A DISCONTINUOUS FLANGE EXTENDING ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF ONE END THEREOF, SAID END CLOSURE HAVING CONTINUOUS PERIPHERAL MARGIN, SAID FLANGE AND SAID MARGIN BEIN INTERFOLDED AND INTERLOCKED TO FORM SAID END SEAM, SAID END SEAM INCLUDING A DOUBLE SEAM ALONG THE EXTENT OF SAID INTERFOLDED FLANGE AND A SINGLE-FOLD SEAM AT THE REGION OF DISCONTINUITY IN SAID FLANGE SAID REGION OF DISCONTINUITY BEING CONCEALED WITHIN SAID SINGLE-FOLD SEAM AND EXTENDING THEREIN A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE ABOUT THE PERIPHERY OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID SINGLE-FOLD SEAM BEING ADAPTED TO BE PRIED OPEN IN SAID REGION OF DISCONTINUITY TO BEND SAID END CLOSURE UPWARDLY AND DEFORM THE CONTIGUOUS WALL OF SAID BODY OUTWARDLY INTO POURING SPOUT CONFIGURATION. 